Yeah, today is grocery day. I'm going to try to get more fruits, carrots, celery and some lean meats.I hate giving up yummies and eating out.
Hubby says we could go to subway instead but that's probably not tons better. It's either subway, McDonald's salad and yogurt parfait or nothing..lol. I haven't decided which yet.
mcdonalds salads and yoghurt are FULL of sugar.literally packed full. i wouldnt touch it!
i sometimes get subway, and i tend to get a 6 inch wheat subway club with LOADS of salad and light mayo.
thats our once a week treat meal out now.
My fiance looks healthier since i switched all the food we eat, we have sweet potatoes, i prick the skin, microwave for about 4 minutes then wrap in foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes for medium, 45 for larger ones.
sweet potatoes are his favourite!
i personally would say you perhaps arent eating enough and DEFINATELY not enough protein and fats
i tend to get 50% carbs (all from fruits and veg, brown rice/brown pasta, or wholemeal cous cous) 25% fat and 25% protein.
i find cottage cheese/yoghurt are easiest ways to up my protein, and i get my fats from natural peanut butter, EVOO and avocados and nuts/seeds.
if your eating that low amount of cals and exercising no doubt your body is going hang on, im not losing any weight, shes not eating enough!!
not eating enough does alot of damage to your body in so many ways.
i tend to eat my carbs morning and lunch, with only a tiny amount with dinner. i snack on fruit, veggies, yoghurt and fruit bars occasionally.
hows your water intake? what are you drinking? how about your fiber?
I know it's hard, but don't worry about the slow part. Eat enough to keep you satisfied (not tempted to eat everything in sight during a weak moment), exercise at a rate and intensity that you can handle on a steady basis and just keep working on making manageable, but consistant changes, and keep experiementing sensibly.
It's so easy to be upset about the pace of weight loss. You don't often hear complaints from people concerned that they are losing too fast, nor do you hear often of people being pleased with their rate of weight loss. Coming to terms with it? Yes, but it's difficult.
The best advice EVER I could give is to keep a journal. Your food, your exercise, your feelings, your struggles. Use the journal to learn about yourself, to try to find patterns that you may not be aware of. Be a scientist and your own lab rat. This is hard, becase two or three coincidences don't make a pattern. You might journal for months before you realize that you can't deal with dairy, or some such.
I've found for myself that processed foods are triggers. Whenever I think I can handle a small serving, there's a good chance it backfires and sets off cravings. If I think I can have it in the house "to have around, and enjoy once in a while," it nearly ALWAYS backfires. I bought some 80 calorie Sunkist fruit snacks the other day ("made with less sugar," not "no" sugar, but I fell for it, sucker!), and I did not succeed in portion control, and I got all crazy-hungry again.
I know this pattern and I still sometimes slip. It's human - fall down, get up keep going and try to remember to learn from the mistake.
I've also learned that for best results, I have to minimize easy to digest carbs (the starchy and sugary ones) even from healthy sources, because I can overdo easily overdo them - sweet potato, definitely white potato, brown rice, even wheat berries. Now I'm not saying for you to do this. I think you need to find out what works for you, by gradually making workable changes. Don't make changes you're not ready for. Going from mostly or a good portion of processed food to none might not work for you. Trying to go from enjoying only 5 different vegetables to 50, may take a lot of time (and you might never get there). It's ok, do what you can, experiment, keep experimenting and try to make it fun (and don't worry about "failed" experiments).
Liking vegetables has never been a problem for me. I love them all (well, nearly all). Brussel sprouts were one of my few nemesis vegetables, but I read someone on here post how good they were roasted. So I roasted them. A 42 year old grudge against brussel sprouts, gone! Large tomatoes and I - still not the best of friends (at least as long as they have their seeds and "goo" intact). Had a very bad experience with bitter melon last year (a gift from a Hmong vendor at our Farmer's Market), gonna try it again this year, because I got a tip from the owner of a Thai/Hmong restaurant on how to cook them to make them good (Her sister shook her head and said she still doesn't like it). I'm going to try anyway.
Now as an admitted fan of few vegetables, I wouldn't recommend that you start with the bitter vegetables (unless you like a lot of other bitter flavors). Start at the shallow end of the pool, and just try something new that you don't find intimidationg - either a new vegetable or a new way of preparing something you "kind of" like. Even if you don't like it, try to pinpoint why. Is it the texture, the flavor? What textures and flavors do you like?
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Now all that being said. My advice is NOT mainstream weight loss wisdom. Very few people talk about the gradual way to weight loss. Nearly all weight loss wisdom focuses on drastic, immediate changes, which requires a lot of will power and determination. And if you have that, and don't mind and even thrive on highly intense physical and mental challenges, then go for it.
It's taken me 36 years to realize that I do not. Or rather, it's taken my 36 years to realize that there is another way. The gradual changes way is slower. Unlike "traditional" weight loss in which the weight comes of quickly at first, and then tapers off, the reverse is likely to happen with the gradual way. As you first learn new behaviors and make them habits, the weight loss may be slow or unpredictable, but as you master more and more skills and habits, the weight loss may gain momentum.
I admit, I'm working "in theory" here. I've tried the "other way" for 36 years and it didn't work. I'd get frustrated and give up. This time around, I don't have a lot of choice in picking the "slow way," because my health had deteriorated to the point that the quick, "cold turkey" way was no longer an option. I've only been trying this new thing for a couple years, but they've been like no other years in my life. Years of a downward trend, but not a dramatic weight loss? Impossible! I would have said. I would have told you that losing fast and gaining faster were the only options. But I was wrong.
Be a scientist and your own lab rat. This is hard, becase two or three coincidences don't make a pattern. You might journal for months before you realize that you can't deal with dairy, or some such.
So much sense. I think that one reason diet plans don't work is due to the fact that every person is different. You have to experiment with yourself to find what works for you.
Also as for staying on for a long time, I think you have to look at that as a valuable thing. If you look at how behavior changes in general, cognitive behavior, etc.. it is always about retraining the mind over time. So regardless of what you lose or do not lose, if you look at the diet as a training program for training your mind... it is easier not to get impatient.
Thanks guys! I'm feeling a little better. I've made a few gradual changes to my diet for the upcoming week. More fruits, a few veggies, whole grain bread,etc. I have 100 cal packs and some granola bars left over that are probably a bit "empty" but as soon as they are used up, I won't buy more.
The weird thing was that when I was looking at yogurt. I usually get the Fiber One yogurt but I was appalled to see it had 12 grams of sugar.. wow! I switched to a Weight Watchers variety this week that only had 7. Next week I may try yet another yogurt. We'll see. In addition to fitday, a friend pointed me tothis calorie count website that is sorta like fitday but it's online. Now I'm keeping my stats in two places. Maybe it will make me even more accountable.
Sugar can be sneaky....I just looked at my dannon lite and fit, it has 7 grams of sugar and 60 calories for the raspberry. sometimes the WW has an aftertaste I don't like.
My BF once bought me non-fat yogurt, well-known brand and the sugar content was 30 grams!!!, i couldn't eat it, he had to.
Hey - this thread is so what I needed to read today.
Heather - keep working on that healthier carbs thing. All those changes you are making are so healthy. But you really do need more protein - your body needs good sources of amino acids to help build muscle. Hormel has a new line of healthy lunch meats - no nitrates or nitrites. I have a couple of slices for a late afternoon snack.
I've gone cold turkey on yogurt - I buy plain, fat free and add either a packet of splenda, or some fruit. (One day, desperate, I actually put a teaspoon of sugar-free jam in. Not bad).
Sue
Me too, Re: Yogurt. I only eat plain yogurt, except I buy the full-fat versions of things (a low fat diet - which I've been eating since childhood - has obviously not made or kept me thin). I either eat it plain or with berries in the AM and then in the PM, I use it as a condiment (my fiance is from Albania -- they put plain yogurt on everything and it's SO good).
Quote:
Originally Posted by KristasMom
Hey - this thread is so what I needed to read today.
Heather - keep working on that healthier carbs thing. All those changes you are making are so healthy. But you really do need more protein - your body needs good sources of amino acids to help build muscle. Hormel has a new line of healthy lunch meats - no nitrates or nitrites. I have a couple of slices for a late afternoon snack.
I've gone cold turkey on yogurt - I buy plain, fat free and add either a packet of splenda, or some fruit. (One day, desperate, I actually put a teaspoon of sugar-free jam in. Not bad).
Sue
HI Heather!
First I want to send out a heartfelt "ConGratulations!!!" on losing the weight and staying focused on your body. Lots of people I know that are overweight are really unhealthy because they live on fast food and fatty homemade cassaroles and the like.
I've been watching a great show on BBC called "You are What You Eat". If you ever need motivation, watch it. It comes on at 8am and 1pm on the west coast. This show goes into the dangers of processed foods, what is actually in most fast foods, and really pushes the fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, etc. I like to do my phonebook steppin watching this.
Keep going. Just think how great we will look! It will all be worth it in the end!
I also advocate the "taking baby steps towards a whole-foods diet" approach. When I started this weight loss effort / total lifestyle change in April, I actually wasn't even really thinking about losing weight. I just decided to change one thing, and one thing only...I'd stop drinking coffee on a daily basis. Fast forward to a little over two months later, and I'm on a whole foods diet that contains no sugar or refined grains, and I'm feeling great and losing weight with little effort.
So, like kaplods said...experiment on yourself, watch your progress, and really figure out what will work for YOU. And you'll get there.
First of all, all of us will hit a plateau sometime while we are trying to lose weight so it might just be that.
Here are some ways to encourage your body to lose weight:
1)strength train. Muscles need more fuel so a more muscled body will use more calories. Toned muscle(s) compact your body so you look "smaller". You do not have to go out and buy a lot of expensive equipment either. You can use common household items like a water filled bleach bottle (without the bleach in it and rinsed out thoroughly), different sizes of canned goods, a towel for resistance.
2)Drink more water especially while you exercise. Drinking more water also allows you to eat more sodium. I would not restrict my sodium unless a doctor prescribes it. There is such a phenomena called " edema" which is actually the body filling itself with water that it takes from vital organs. This can happen if you have either too much salt or too little as well. If you don't like water, Crystal Light or unsweetened iced tea are great substitutes.
3) Add more fiber. Fiber fills you up and it also keeps you regular, if you know what I mean. Fiber is found in oatmeal, apples, bananas, crunchy vegetables and nuts.
4) Protein is in other foods like nuts, cottage cheese, beans and soy, as mentioned before. You don't have to eat a lot of meat to get protein. You can find reduced fat cheeses easily in individual servings. You can make a "sandwich" wrap with a couple of thin slices of low fat deli lunch meat, reduced fat cream cheese as a spread and then a pickle for flavor. Protein curbs your appetite naturally.
There is no reason why you can't look "smaller" by October if you try some or all of these ideas out. Someone passed them on to me and now I am passing them onto you.
Also the thing with exercise is you really need to give yourself more then 3 weeks to gauge how it's helping. As others mentioned you retain some water while muscles repair if you add that factor in with the additional muscle mass you gain you're likely to see a slow scale for a bit... Even more so if you are very inactive because beginners tend to put on muscle quickly where as someone whos been exercising for awhile can't really put it on all that quickly.
When I began running at the beginning of the year my loss slowed a bit too and took over a month for my body to adjust to the shock even though I was only doing a few minutes mixed in with walking.
Once your body starts benefiting from the metabolism boost exercise is just going to make your life easier plus it allows you to eat slightly more calories which makes sticking to the game plan easier.
I agree with the others too on carbs... the empty stuff even calorie portioned 100 cal packs are really things you want to try and phase out. They work for some people but it sounds like your carb sensitive and I think those just spell danger zone for us who are triggered by carbs. 100 calories sounds small, but doesn't help you if you eat 4 of them. Not only is that 400 calories, but 400 that is processed and stored on your body quickly and if your not exercising your body won't have anything to do with those calories but store them.
I'm a veggie hater too but I've learned to experiment and find those that will work. Spinach for example can be used as salad lettus and its not all that different if you have flavorful toppings. How about cucumber? An entire cucumber is like 50 calories. You can cut it up into sticks and dip it in some low-oil hummus or something. You like carrots so snack on baby carrots. Yes they are higher sugar but most of us arent going to eat enough of them that thats an issue. Just keep trying new ideas.
Speaking of cucumber -- cucumber slices with some (a conservative amount) cream cheese and smoked salmon (aka lox) is a pretty great snack/lunch -- you get your vegetable, protein and some fat all in there a once.
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Originally Posted by Idealmuse
How about cucumber? An entire cucumber is like 50 calories. You can cut it up into sticks and dip it in some low-oil hummus or something. You like carrots so snack on baby carrots. Yes they are higher sugar but most of us arent going to eat enough of them that thats an issue. Just keep trying new ideas.
KLK that is an excellent idea! I love smoked salmon, but never know what to put it on. Normally I got for one of those Wasa Crackers, or mix it in with my eggs as an omlette, but the cucumber slices is a better idea. Thanks!
Something that PrettyPaula touched on is MAJORLY important... If you are exercising you must give your body more food- Makes no sense in terms of- eat less, exercise- lose weight!' Your body is a machine, it requires certain things to help jumpstart the engine most days lol
Make sure you get plenty of fiber and lean proteins- (shrimp/seafood) will help you burn more calories and actually keep it off. When doing my BMI and needing to figure out just how many calories I need, I don't actually use the weight I am now, I choose the weight I want to be- it only drops your calories about 500 or so....
The thing I have learned about sugar is- the sugars in fruits aren't to be bothered with... it's better you get your fruits in than worry about the sugar... The problem with sugar and your body- is when you are eating something with an insane amount of carbs- your body turns these into sugar affecting your blood sugar- which I'm sure you know... so items like potatoes, carrots and breads are more inclined to add weight than having a peach or an apple a day. The vitamins in your fruits are much more important to have than to not have, if that makes sense
I think you said you drink quite a bit of water, something you need to watch for when you exercise is actually drinking a health drink- your body will start to take in as much water as it can because of the loss of sodium. So it is possible that your 'no weight loss' was actually water weight gain. The more fluids you drink the less water your body will hold on to.
I've gotten to where I drink almost twice the amount of water recommended because I sweat quite a bit during the day- adding a gatorade in when my body is finally cooled down enough to not sweat buckets lol So I end up drinking around 160-180 ounces of water a day... only on the days I exercise.
None of this may work for you- but fiber and lean proteins are insanely important as well as making sure you have enough 'fuel' for your body to go the distance.
